UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday commended the commitment of world leaders this year to end AIDS epidemic by 2030 with a campaign called Fast-Track.
Marking World AIDS Day, Ban welcomed in a message the tremendous progress the world is making in responding to the AIDS epidemic.
Almost 14 million people worldwide are now accessing HIV treatment, he said. "We have reduced new HIV infections by 38 percent since 2001." The UN Chief confirmed that 1.16 million infections were prevented among newborn babies by providing essential antiretroviral medicines.
"This indicates that we are on track to provide antiretroviral therapy to 15 million people by 2015 and to eliminate mother-to-child transmissions within the next few years," he added.
Ban expressed gratitude to the "dedication and energy of many partners including those in civil society." Progress is accelerating, but the gains remain fragile however, he stressed.
There are 35 million people living with HIV today, and some 19 million of them do not know they have the virus, Ban noted. Two out of three children who need treatment do not get it, as well as young women are particularly vulnerable in many countries with high HIV prevalence.
According to the Secretary-General, the "AIDS epidemic is increasing in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, fuelled by stigma, discrimination and punitive laws." The essential work of community systems and support organizations often lacks support, he said.
In his message, Ban expressed pleasure and pride in the progress being made, and confirmed that the legacy of the AIDS response is already apparent as the world confront Ebola in West Africa.
He noted that medical systems alone are not enough to provide robust healthcare, yet, "social justice, the democratization of science, shared responsibility for financing, human rights and gender equity, and a people-centred approach to health are all lessons learned."